Food and beverages having decreased digestive and absorptive properties and method of preparing the same

ABSTRACT

Foods and beverages having decreased digestive and absorptive properties characterized in containing 40 weight % or more all saturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid as an oil component. The all saturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only or stearic acid and/or palmitic acid contained in the foods and beverages is not digested and absorbed in the bodies, so that calories may be decreased substantially.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to foods and beverages the digestive andabsorptive properties of which are decreased by blending a certainamount of all saturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only ofstearic acid and/or palmitic acid. The present invention relates also toa method of preparing the foods and beverages having decreased digestiveand absorptive properties comprising blending an oil componentcontaining all saturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only ofstearic acid and/or palmitic acid.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, the increase of patients suffered from geriatricdiseases with the increase of the intake of oil has been givenattention, and it has become considered that there is a strong relationbetween the oil intake and the crisis rates of arterial sclerosis,mammary cancer and colon cancer. Thus, the trend that the oil intake iskept at a distance is extended, and the oil substitutes utilizingpolysaccharide and proteins are researched actively under presentconditions. However, the popularity of oil is high so that it is verydifficult to substantially decrease the oil intake in one's food lifeunder the present circumstances. Further, the foods intended toessentially control the oil intake oils with paying attention to thedigestive and absorptive properties of oils, have not developed yet.

It has been known that the digestive and absorptive properties of fatsdepend greatly on physical and chemical characteristics thereof, i.e.,such as melting point and constituent fatty acid species. For example,the higher the melting point of an oil, the lower the digestibility andabsorbability become, and the longer the carbon length of a saturatedfatty acid, the lower the digestibility and absorbability become.Further, it has been known that the digestive and absorptive propertiesvary with the differences of the position and the combination of thefatty acids bonded to glycerol. For example, it has been reported thatpalmitic acid being saturated fatty acid, accelerates the absorptions offree fatty acids, in particular saturated fatty acids, since not onlytriglyceride bonded to 2-position is more excellent in digestive andabsorptive properties than a triglyceride bonded to 1,3-position, but2-palmitic monoglyceride produced in the process of digestion isexcellent in emulsifying characters. On the other hand, it has beenknown that as the digestive and absorptive properties of stearic acid,the digestive and absorptive properties vary with the fatty acidconstituting triglyceride. It has been reported, as the results ofexperiments using rats, that for example chemically synthesizedtristearin is hardly digested or absorbed, but if one more two of thestearic acids within it are replaced by monounsaturated fatty acids, thestearic acid is almost absorbed. Further, it has been known thatalthough triglycerides consisting of stearic acid and palmitic acid havevery low digestive and absorptive properties, the digestive andabsorptive properties are increased when it is ingested with the sameamount of another liquid oil (Hashim et al., Am.J.Clin.Nutr.,31:S273-276, 1978). Therefore, it was unknown whether the digestive andabsorptive properties may be decreased or not when the triglycerideconsisting of stearic acid and palmitic acid is mixed with another oiland ingested.

The present inventors, in view of the above problems, have investigatedrepeatedly with paying attention to an all saturated acyl chaintriglyceride consisting only of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid, andfound that these triglycerides are hardly digested or absorbed. Further,the present inventors found that, even if an oil component containingthese triglyceride is emulsified and added to foods and beverages or itis mixed with another oil components and emulsified and added to foodsand beverages, yet the original oil mouth feel is kept, thesetriglyceride are hardly digested or absorbed. Thus the inventorscompleted the present invention. Therefore, an object of the presentinvention is to provide foods and beverages having digestive andabsorptive properties which are decreased by blending a certain amountof all saturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only of stearic acidand/or palmitic acid as an oil component. As a raw material for foodscontaining all saturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only ofstearic acid and/or palmitic acid, hardened oil is exemplified. As thepast examples of the usages of the hardened oil in foods, the usage ofthe oil as a physical properties modifier for mayonnaise havinglow-temperature resistance (Japanese Examined Patent PublicationNo.62-25340), the usage of the oil as a physical properties modifier forliquid shortening (Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.Hei 3-12853),the usage of the oil in frozen tempura (Japanese Examine PatentPublication No.63-60977), the usage of the oil for low-temperatureresistant edible oil and the like have been known. However, the usage ofthe hardened oil in foods and beverages which are intended to decreasethe digestive and absorptive properties. As examples of the usages ofthe hardened oils as low-calorie oils. W/O emulsion for cooking(Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication No.Hei 1-187052) has beenknown. However, in the publication, the physical properties are improvedand the oil content of the emulsion may be decreased by adding thehardened oil, and as the results, the oil intake is decreased to attainthe low-calorie. In addition, as low-calorie oils, the low-calorie oil(Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication No.Hei 1-252248) and the oilfor animal feeds (Japanese Un-Examined Patent Publication No.Hei1-85040) and the like have been known, but all of them are concerned inthe usage of triglyceride consisting of saturated fatty acid having 20or more carbon atoms, and do not decrease the digestive and absorptiveproperties utilizing the character of the all saturated acyl chaintriglyceride consisting only of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In the present invention, the foods and beverages are prepared so as tocontain 40 weight % or more all saturated acyl chain triglycerideconsisting only of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid as an oilcomponent. When the foods and beverages of the present invention areprepared, a variety of components constituting the foods and beveragesmay be mixed mechanically. As the oil component, an oil componentcontaining 40 weight % or more all saturated acyl chain triglycerideconsisting only of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid may be used as itis, or a mixed oil which was prepared by mixing with another oil so asto contain 40 weight % or more all saturated acyl chain triglycerideconsisting only of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid may be used. Inaddition, as the oil component, it is more preferable that it isemulsified previously and added to foods and beverages. The reasons isthat problems may appear, such as the difficulties of dispersing andmixing occurred when a high melting point oil is used mainly and whenoil is mixed with raw materials constituting water phase of foods usingoil; thermal denature and browning of the another components due to themixing in a heating and melting state; and the difficulties of thewashing of contamination due to the attachment of the high melting pointoil to a manufacturing devices. Therefore, by emulsifying previously andadding to foods and beverages, these problems may be solved.

The foods and beverages thus obtained by the present invention functionssufficiently as a low-calorie oil containing foods and beverages andhave unique mouth feel of oils. As the oil containing 40 weight % ormore the all saturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only ofstearic acid and/or palmitic acid which may be used in the presentinvention, fully hydrogenated oils of e.g. corn oil, soybean oil,rapeseed oil, sun flower oil, safflower oil, high-oleic safflower oil,olive oil may be exemplified. The oil which may be used by mixing theall saturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only of stearic acidand/or palmitic acid, is preferably liquid oil from the mouth feel, buteven if any oil ia used, it does not effect on the absorptivecharacteristics of the all saturated acyl chain triglyceride consistingonly of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid.

As the oil containing 40 weight % or more all saturated acyl chaintriglyceride consisting only of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid, theoil which was heated and melted to the melting point or more may beused, and the oil which was emulsified previously using emulsifier suchas monoglyceride, sorbitan fatty acid ester and stabilizer such assodium caseinate. The size of the fat globules of the emulsifiedmaterials may be adjusted depending on the conditions of homogenizingpressure, homogenizing times, temperature, homogenizing valve shape andthe like.

EXAMPLES

The present invention will be explained concretely by way of Exampleshereinafter.

Example 1

Canola oil was fully hydrogenated according to a conventional method,and hardened canola oil was prepared. That is, after fully hydrogenatingthe canola oil under hydrogen atmosphere with nickel catalyst at 200° C.for one hour, the nickel catalyst was removed, and the oil was bleachedto obtain the hardened canola oil. The constituent fatty acids of thehardened canola oil were 90.2 weight % stearic acid and 6.8 weight %palmitic acid. The content of the all saturated acyl chain triglycerideconsisting only of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid was 95 weight %.

Then, cream containing the hardened canola oil was prepared in the ratioshown in Table 1. As for the raw materials, after dissolving and mixingthem at 85° C. previously, these materials were emulsified at ahomogenizing pressure of 500 kg/cm², and sterilized under conditions of140° C. and 5 seconds.

                  TABLE 1    ______________________________________                     (weight %)    ______________________________________    Hardened Canola Oil                     25.00    Skim Milk Powder  3.25    Sodium Caseinate  2.80    Water            67.95    Emulsifier        1.00    ______________________________________

To the cream thus prepared, skim milk (fat content is 0.8 weight %) wasadded so as to have a fat content of 3.5 weight %, and a milk beveragewas prepared. Then an organoleptic evaluation was carried out by 20panels on the mouth feel of the milk beverage. As a control milkbeverages a low-fat milk having a fat content of 0.8 weight % was used.The results will be shown in Table 2.

                  TABLE 2    ______________________________________             Control     The Present Invention    ______________________________________    Intensity  None (20/20)  Yes (18/20)    Fat Feel   None (20/20)  Yes (16/20)    Milk Flavor               a little yes (12/20)                             Yes (18/20)    ______________________________________     (Numbers of Answers/Number of Panels)

As shown clearly in the above results, the milk beverage of the presentinvention improved the mouth feel of the low-fat milk, and made mouthfeel similar to bovine milk, in spite of having almost the samesubstantial calorie as the low-fat milk.

Example 2

Corn oil was fully hydrogenated according to a conventional method, andhardened corn oil was prepared. That is, after fully hydrogenating thecorn oil under hydrogen atmosphere with nickel catalyst at 200° C. forone hour, the nickel catalyst was removed, the oil was bleached, and thehardened corn oil was obtained. The constituent fatty acids of thehardened corn oil were 88.0 weight % stearic acid and 11.1 weight %palmitic acid. The content of the all saturated acyl chain triglycerideconsisting only of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid was 98 weight %.

Then, cream containing 50 weight % the hardened corn oil and 50 weight %canola oil was prepared in the ratio shown in Table 3. As for the rawmaterials, after dissolving and mixing them at 85° C. previously, thesewere emulsified at a homogenizing pressure of 500 kg/cm² and sterilizedunder conditions of 140° C. and 5 seconds.

                  TABLE 3    ______________________________________                    (weight %)    ______________________________________    Hardened Corn Oil                    12.50    Canola Oi1      12.50    Skim Milk Powder                     3.25    Sodium Caseinate                     2.80    Water           67.95    Emulsifier       1.00    ______________________________________

The cream thus prepared had the same mouth feel as the cream preparedusing vegetable fats, and were not separated even if added to coffeedrink, and had good flavor.

Example 3

Low-calorie cookies were prepared using the hardened rapeseed oilcontaining 95% all saturated acyl chain triglyceride (78% tristearin,16% distearyl palmitin, 1% dipalmitoyl stearin). 90 parts sugar wasadded to 30 parts lightly whipped butter, and these were creamed.Meringue prepared by whipping 30 parts egg white and a small amount ofvanilla flavor were added to it, and stirred to make cream. A mixtureobtained by adding 30 parts the hardened rapeseed oil fine powdershaving an average particle size of 20 μm to 100 parts sieved soft flour,was mixed in the cream lightly to make cookie dough. A baking sheet wasspread over a tin-pan, and the cookie dough was cut into a rubber moldhaving 25 rectangular holes having a size of 35 mm in length, 50 mm inwidth and 2 mm in height, and shaped and baked in a pre-heated oven at200° C. for 5 to 7 minutes, to prepare langue-de-chat type cookieshaving good texture and good taste and flavor.

Test Example 1

An animal experiment using rats will be illustrated on the absorptiveproperties of the cream prepared in Example 1. A cream containing 25weight % canola oil prepared using the same components as described inExample 1, was used as a control. The SD strain, male rats having bodyweights of 400 g were used, and they were divided into two groups, eachgroup consisting of 4 animals. As the rats, laparotomy was carried outunder etherization, and a polyethylene tube (0.75 mm, SP50, manufacturedby Natsume Seisakusho KK) was cannulated the mesentery lymphoduct, andat the same time a polyethylene tube (0.50 mm, SP40, manufactured byNatsume Seisakusho KK) was inserted into the upper part of the stomach.After the operation, the abdominal parts were sutured, and the rats werefixed to Bollman cage, then physiological saline containing 5 weight %dextrose was fed at a rate of 3.0 ml/hr for one night with a peristalticpump. After that, making sure that the flow rate of the lymph wasstabilized, the test cream was diluted with water so as to have a fatconcentration of 10 weight %, and the oil delivered into the mesenterylymphoduct was measured. The test cream was injected with a peristalticpump at a rate of 3.5 ml/hr for 30 minutes. Then the lymph was collectedwith a fraction collector every one hour, and the triglyceride amount inthe lymphoduct was determined by an enzyme method (Determiner TGS555),and the absorbability was calculated. In Table 4, the absorbabilities ofthe test cream on the 3rd hours and 6th hours after injection will beshown.

                  TABLE 4    ______________________________________                 the 3rd hour (%)                            the 6th hour (%)    ______________________________________    Canola Oil Cream                   53.3 ± 16.2                                81.6 ± 7.2    Hardened Canola Oil Cream                    4.0 ± 1.5*                                 7.4 ± 1.0*    ______________________________________     *Significant difference from the control canola cream (p < 0.01) was     found.

As clearly shown in the above results, the absorbabilities of thehardened canola oil cream were 1/10 or less of those of the canola oilcream.

Test Example 2

An animal experiment using rats will be illustrated on the absorptiveproperties of the cream prepared in Example 2. A cream containing 100weight % corn oil prepared using the same components as described inExample 2, was used as a control. The SD strain, male rats having bodyweights of 400 g were used, and they were divided into two groups, eachgroup consisting of 4 animals. As the rats, laparotomy was carried outunder etherization, and a polyethylene tube (0.75 mm, SP50, manufacturedby Natsume Seisakusho KK) was cannulated the mesentery lymphoduct, andat the same time a polyethylene tube (0.50 mm, SP40, manufactured byNatsume Seisakusho KK) was inserted into the upper part of the stomach.After the operation, the abdominal parts were sutured, and the rats werefixed to Bollman cage, then physiological saline containing 5 weight %dextrose was fed at a rate of 3.0 ml/hr for one night with a peristalticpump. After that, making sure that the flow rate of the lymph wasstabilized, the test cream was diluted with water so as to have a fatconcentration of 10 weight %, and the oil delivered into the mesenterylymphoduct was measured. The test cream was injected with a peristalticpump at a rate of 3.5 ml/hr for 30 minutes. Then the lymph was collectedwith a fraction collector every one hour, and the triglyceride amount inthe lymphoduct was determined by an enzyme method (Determiner TGS555),and the absorbability was calculated. In Table 5, the absorbabilities ofthe test cream on the 3rd hours and 6th hours after injection will beshown.

                  TABLE 5    ______________________________________                 the 3rd hour (%)                            the 6th hour (%)    ______________________________________    Corn Oil Cream 50.5 ± 10.1                                85.7 ± 9.2    Hardened Corn Oi1 Cream                    16.1 ± 10.2*                                 36.5 ± 15.6*    ______________________________________     *Significant difference from the corn oil cream (p < 0.01) was found.

As clearly shown in the above results, the absorbability of the hardenedcorn oil cream were 1/2 or less of those of the corn oil cream. That is,it was shown that the calorie of oil was decreased to half or less, byblending 50 weight % the hardened corn oil.

Industrial Applicability

Since the all saturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only ofstearic acid and/or palmitic acid is not digested and absorbed in thebodies, foods and beverages having substantially decreased calories maybe provided by blending a certain amount of all saturated acyl chaintriglyceride consisting only of stearic acid and/or palmitic acid in thefoods and beverages.

We claim:
 1. A method of preparing foods and beverages having decreaseddigestive and absorptive properties comprising the step of blending afully hydrogenated oil which was adjusted so that the content of the allsaturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only of stearic acid and/orpalmitic acid in it is 40 weight % or more with another oil.
 2. A methodof preparing foods and beverages having decreased digestive andabsorptive properties as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fullyhydrogenated oil is previously emulsified and mixed.
 3. A method ofpreparing foods and beverages having decreased digestive and absorptiveproperties, comprising the step of blending a mixed oil of fullyhydrogenated oil and another oil which was adjusted so that the contentof the all saturated acyl chain triglyceride consisting only of stearicacid and/or palmitic acid in it is 40 weight % or more.
 4. A method ofpreparing foods and beverages having decreased digestive and absorptiveproperties as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mixed oil of fullyhydrogenated oil and another oil is previously emulsified and mixed.